Geoactive Questions and Answers

Activities:
1. List the main reasons for water scarcity.
A: The main reasons for water scarcity is that many places such as deserts, have low rainfall, variations in climate, land degradation, population growth and water pollution.
2. What is a drought? What type of hardships do you think that a drought could cause if you were living in a village in a poor country such as Ethiopia?
A: A drought is a period of below average precipitation. Dehydration, illnesses such as Cholera and death could be the hardships I would face when living in a village in a poor country such as Ethiopia.
3. How does land degradation affect the supply of fresh water?
A: When land has being used excessively for overgrazing and farming, the soil is not able to store water. When there are heavy rains, the water is lost into rivers and the sea.
4.(a) What is El Nino?
A: El Nino is a warming that happens every three to five years in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Peru. So this causes the air pressure to reverse and go over most of Australia. These prevent moist tropical air masses reaching Australia for a long periods and causes serious drought.
(b) Why does El Nino often cause drought in Australia?
A: Because of the warming the air pressure reverses and stops moist tropical air masses reaching Australia.
5. Observe the map showing the global effects of El Nino in 1982-83
(a) What effects does El Nino have on the availability of fresh water?
A: Due to El Nino, there can be period of heavy rain along the west coast of South America and this causes severe flooding. Water becomes heavily polluted and little clean water is available.
(b) Name the countries and describe the problems that arose from decreased rainfall caused by El Nino.
A: - Dry - Too much rainfall
Australia- Wheat exports threatened by drought conditions.
Philippines- Lower rice harvest due to drought.
China- Agricultural land under threat from drought in northern regions and flooding in southern regions.
Papua New Guinea- Due to drought, they are not able to grow crops. This causes famine conditions.
Indonesia- Dryness causes forest fires making air very polluted.
Africa- Less corn crops due to dryness.
United States- Too much rainfall.
Colombia- Fishing is affected.
Peru- Flooding and fishing is affected.